Estimating Carbon Emissions from China’s Coal-to-Chemical Industry during the “13th Five-year Plan” Period

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Publication - 2017-04-25

China’s coal-and-chemical industry has long been controversial for its high level of carbon emissions. In the recently released “13th Five-year Plan for Energy”, the coal-to-chemical industry was set a number of key construction regions. Meanwhile, global fossil fuel carbon emissions have seen a zero growth rate for three years in a row. The reduction in China’s coal usage over the past three years is a major contributing factor behind this.
Since the Paris Agreement, China has actively committed to cutting carbon emissions. However, data from the coal-to-chemical industry reveals that if project growth cannot be controlled during the “13th Five-year Plan” period, it is likely to lead to a continued increase in carbon emissions. According to the summary analysis of the relevant 13th Five-year Plan content, China’s coal-to-chemical industry is likely to contribute around 409 million tons of carbon emissions per year in 2020 – more than four times the figure of 90 million tons recorded in 2015.

China’s coal-and-chemical industry has long been controversial for its high level of carbon emissions. In the recently released “13th Five-year Plan for Energy”, the coal-to-chemical industry was set a number of key construction regions. Meanwhile, global fossil fuel carbon emissions have seen a zero growth rate for three years in a row. The reduction in China’s coal usage over the past three years is a major contributing factor behind this.

Since the Paris Agreement, China has actively committed to cutting carbon emissions. However, data from the coal-to-chemical industry reveals that if project growth cannot be controlled during the “13th Five-year Plan” period, it is likely to lead to a continued increase in carbon emissions. According to the summary analysis of the relevant 13th Five-year Plan content, China’s coal-to-chemical industry is likely to contribute around 409 million tons of carbon emissions per year in 2020 – more than four times the figure of 90 million tons recorded in 2015.